For many Montreal Impact supporters, a mere mention of the name Laurent Ciman stirs up an emotion, an opinion on the former fan favourite that differs from one fan to the next.

There are those that took exception to the decision by the Impact's front office and new head coach Rémi Garde to trade the Belgium international to Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) last December. In other circles the move was perceived as beneficial to the club. For Ciman, the deal was nothing short of a betrayal. The man Impact fans aptly named The General is back in Montreal to face his former team for the first time since the surprising trade, and you can be sure he will arrive with an increased level of motivation to perform at Stade Saputo on Saturday.

It's been well documented how and why Ciman ended up with the Impact in the first place. But it's worth taking a quick look back for context. Ciman, a devoted family man, signed with Montreal in January 2015 so his daughter,...